1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to apparatus for the reorientation of a plurality of serially supplied items. More particularly, the presently disclosed apparatus is directed to the reorientation of ammunition rounds being fed from a stationary magazine to a gun which is variable in the azimuth axis, the apparatus also functioning as a round accumulator during gun start-up and shut-down.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Rapid-fire weapon systems available in the prior art have problems inherent in their operation. In general, the firing weapon is in a gun mount or turret located at one part of the weapons system and the magazine supply for ammunition rounds is located separately. One problem in this arrangement is that mere separation of the weapon and magazine is troublesome. For example, the length of the supply line between the magazine and the weapon can be so great that the pulling force of the weapon may be insufficient to draw the rounds from the magazine container due to the conveyor length and, hence, the weight of the conveyor along the supply path.
The prior art has dealt with the conveyor length problem by providing means for driving either the magazine or the conveyor at a rate comparable to the weapon demand rate. High power is required to overcome the inertia of the magazine when the magazine is driven in conjunction with the demand rate of the weapon. Since the firing weapon demand rate varies abruptly, depending on whether the firing mechanism is held on or released, rather complex systems are needed to bring the magazine first to a high feed rate and then to bring it to rest after the gun shuts down.
While prior art solutions to the problem of feeding a rapid-fire gun are acceptable in certain application installations, their use with a rapid-fire weapon movable in elevation and azimuth planes, for example, has presented additional unresolved difficulties. In typical weapon applications, individual rounds from the magazine are transported to the gun mount by some type of conveyor or other rounds carrier, usually contained within a flexible chute. These flexible chutes commonly are capable of motion in both elevation and azimuth planes. The chute contortions dictated by required elevation and azimuth angles for proper gun mount flexibility result in ever changing dynamic conditions in the ammunition, chutes and conveyors. This in turn has resulted in increased weapon reliability problems, because flexible chutes have a number of inherent deficiencies, particularly being prone to jamming.
The system of Meyer U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,738 sought to overcome these prior art deficiencies with a device that has a fixed, non-flexible chute connected between the input side of the device and the output of the magazine. The fixed, non-flexible chute and associated conveyor bring individual rounds from a conventional storage magazine to the entrance of the device. The device has its entrance anchored to a fixed structure. The output end of the device is designed to rotate with the weapon or weapon mount, and thus the chute need be movable only in the elevation plane of the weapon.
The device includes storage means and a differential for transferring rounds in the storage means. The differential adds and subtracts velocities to match the input velocity to the device and the output velocity from the device to the required weapon feed rate. By utilizing the storage capacity within the device, the weapon is permitted to fire at full rate without requiring the magazine to match this rate in phase with the weapon.
A number of techniques have been disclosed in the prior art for feeding rounds from the magazine to a gun secured to a movable mount. In particular the following patents illustrate the scope of the available art in this area: U.S. Pat. Nos. 332,741, 1,297,699, 2,367,572, 2,521,346, 3,333,507, 3,427,923, 3,437,005, 3,498,178, 3,590,684, 3,687,004, 4,004,490, 4,064,786, 4,166,408 and 4,344,350.
Although the aforementioned patents describe various improvements for feeding ammunition to a gun as the gun mount in which the gun is secured rotates in the elevational and/or azimuth directions, each of these patents still has limitations associated therewith which preclude their use as a complete solution to the present need. Referring to U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,738, in particular, the system disclosed therein requires a powered drive for adjusting rounds within the system with the attendant increase in system complexity and possibility of misfire. Further, the rounds are oriented in a horizontal attitude as they are moved about within the storage reservoir which decreases the storage capacity of the reservoir while increasing the physical size thereof. Further, the upper and lower transfer wheels are limited in their rotational capability, thus limiting the storage capacity of the reservoir. Finally, the system in U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,738 does not return expended shell casings to the magazine but ejects the casings, which is not suitable in the present application.
What is therefore desired is a device for use in weapons systems which has a relatively large storage capacity and which transfers the ammunition rounds from a magazine to the weapon in a rapid and efficient manner such that the weapon is allowed to fire at rapid rates as the magazine is brought up to the required firing speed. It would also be desirable if the device is configured to return expended shell casings to the round magazine or to some other storage magazine.